Game on!
by Katonica
Summary: Two teams, two genders. One competition, one champion.


It was no secret that Adrien Agreste was good at tennis.

So he made a team.

* * *

It was no secret that Marinette Dupain-Cheng was good at tennis.

So she made a team.

* * *

Marinette grinned as she hoisted her ladybug-themed racquet onto her shoulders, grinning as she watched Alya spin around, managing to do a flip while hitting the ball back to her opponent. While some said this a waste of energy, Alya specialized in tricks to distract the opponent and promptly use the momentum from her abilities to strike quick and fast and win the match.

Marinette's pride felt like it was pouring out in waves of happiness, which Chloe, who sat on the bench behind her, felt. "Marinette, you're too happy, I'm practically drowning in cheerfulness." She sarcastically said, grinning as Marinette turned around with an eyebrow raised.

"Well then, Chloe..." The sly smirk she gave the blonde sent shivers up her spine, "How about playing a match with me?"

The blonde girl's eyes widened. To go against Marinette in a match was like signing your death contract; the girl was spontaneous and hit like she was about to use an ax to decapitate you. But to refuse a challenge was a big no-no for Chloe; the girl's pride was too stubborn to say no.

They walked into the court by Alya's match. "Your serve." Chloe caught the ball that Marinette threw at her. Letting out a breath, Chloe steeled herself to play against the female champion of tennis.

And she served. Throwing the neon green ball into the air, she raised her racquet and smacked the ball towards the left of Marinette, only to have the girl in pigtails suddenly switch hands with her racquet and hit it back at the blonde. Chloe screeched as the ball flew towards her head, ducking before it hit her face.

"Marinette!" The girl in red froze, eyes wide as Chloe let out a panicked yell.

She ran over to check on the blonde since Alya was on the floor laughing at Chloe's near catastrophe. "I'm so sorry, Chloe! I didn't mean-"

The girl shushed Marinette. "There is no way I can go against you. Can we just practice the new strategy we came up with? I don't feel like dying before the competition." Alya had gotten up from her fetal position of giggling and walked over to the pair.

Marinette nodded, excited to use the new strategy Chloe came up with. The one thing the three girls were known for was their peculiar strategies for tennis.

Alya used her skill of acrobatics to distract the opponent; Chloe was particularly experienced in smashing, often using the wind to assist her tall leaps, bringing her higher than usual jumping limits and allowing her to bring her racquet down hard onto the ball.

For the new trick, they decided that Chloe would go through a mountain jogging program to strengthen her legs, allowing her to leap up higher and faster.

Marinette was the champion at tennis. First, her family was made up of bakers which at an early age, she had to lift bags of flour and trays of baked goods, building up her arm strength. Second, she was ambidextrous, allowing the girl to switch which hand the racquet was in and still having the same amount of strength per swing.

It was a week until they were supposed to compete against a team known as the **Alley Cats** , and they had to be prepared.

* * *

Adrien yelled a warning towards Nino, the boy too busy focusing on adjusting his music playlist to notice the ball flying towards his head. Nino looked up only to see the ball flying towards his face and as he raised his hands to block the inevitable crash, a delicate hand reached up and caught the ball.

Nino looked at his savior. "Thanks, Nathaniel." The red-headed boy chuckled.

"Only you would be so distracted by music that you wouldn't see a tennis ball headed towards your face." Nino rolled his eyes, snatching the ball from Nathaniel's grasp and chucking it at Adrien.

The blond let out a cry of surprise as the ball hit his head. "Nino!" He rubbed the sore spot. "Come play against each other." The two other players on his team nodded, grabbing their racquets from the bench. But before they started the match, Nino wore his headphones and Nathaniel seemed to fall asleep standing up, his eyes closing as his breathing slowed.

It was quiet on the court, like a night with no moon. Then a whistle blew, and Nino served. Nathaniel's eyes opened as the ball flew towards him, and like a graceful hand of a painter, he seemed to glide across the court, running faster than anyone else on the tennis courts.

His hit back towards Nino was like a sudden blade painted onto the canvas; fast, sharp, deadly in expression.

In his own world, Nino was surrounded by music. Some might say that it hindered his movement in court, but the music and the type of tunes he played determined his strategy in court. His strike back towards the artist matched with the tempo of his music, a steady rhythm yet erratic to where the beat would suddenly drop to a faster speed.

It was only until Nathaniel's sudden fall from the stage, his foot caught the other and his performance was over, defeated by the music he had personally assisted in composing for his opponent. He fell with a crash, his racquet clattering at the side.

"Nath! You okay?" Adrien, the ever kind leader of their group ran over to assist his friend from the ground, Nino following behind quite closely.

The redhead nodded his thanks to his leader, frowning as he realized his failure was because he had tripped over his own two feet. Having been in ballet for his early childhood years, Nathaniel prided himself in his gracefulness, compared to the other males in his classes and schools.

Adrien grinned as he clapped Nino's shoulder, making the victim groan as the blond's hand attacked his sore bones. "Adrien, that hurts."

"Man up, you wimp." His friend pushed his glasses up his face, glaring playfully at the shit-eating grin on his group leader's face. "Fuck off, Adrien. Just because you were a dick to your dad does not mean you have to be a dick to me."

Adrien was the son of Gabriel Agreste, world famous badminton player. When he was only 5, his father had placed a badminton racquet in his hands, teaching him the proper way to swing. He was supposed to be a graceful boy, quiet, but powerful.

The small, thin racquet was uncomfortable in his hands, too small, too light. So Adrien had snuck onto the other courts, learning of tennis and loving the feel of the wind on his skin instead of the stuffy courts inside for his father's sport. And the racquet's grip had fit steadily in his hands, the right weight for his powerful hits.

Gabriel had found out and was livid with anger when he learned of his son's new hobby. He banned Adrien from ever going onto a tennis court again, until… He didn't.

On Adrien's 10th birthday, he had basically commanded his son to play a game with a random opponent, which Adrien had excitedly won. He was presented with a black and neon green racquet, a "Your mother loved this sport, so treasure it with all your soul," and a pat on the back. From then on, Gabriel had let his son work on the game, attending his competitions but offering nothing else.

It was a week until they were supposed to compete against a team known as the **Queens of Court** , and they had to be prepared.

* * *

He grinned as he saw the red, orange, and yellow. The colours of the Queens of Court, they were hard to miss with their cheerleader uniforms. "There they are." With 4 rounds played, the three girls didn't look at all tired, only glowing with elation as they defeated the other female teams.

It was the finals now, Marinette having defeated Kagami's team with a quick backhand at the flying ball that had been heading toward her face. It was Kagami's pride that had defeated the confident Japanese; her refusal that anyone could defeat her powerful strike that usually sent the opponents running for the ball, only to miss.

"Ready?" His friends gave him a nod in reply.

* * *

Marinette had spotted the loose, baggy shirts of the Alley Cats, the most confident out of all the male teams. Through the 4 rounds that they had played, Adrien had been the most successful, his powerful strikes and hits on the ball often startling the opponents before the ball bounced barely on the lines, making the ball exit the court and allowing the blond male another win.

It was a stroke of bad luck for Luka when the sudden blast of music had come out of nowhere, startling the black haired boy as he attempted to fend off one of Adrien's robust serves.

"Let's go, girls." And the two partners she had since Day 1 of this sport gave her a smile in reply.

* * *

Three girls stepped onto court first, stretching as the readied their racquets and arms for the finals. Their sharp eyes did not miss the boys planning something in a huddled group.

* * *

Three boys stepped onto court second, eyes narrowing at the girls who seemed nonchalant for the finals of the tournament.

* * *

Adrien hefted his racquet onto his shoulder, giving Marinette a smirk as Nino winked at what he suspected to Alya and Nathaniel blushed, ever the shy boy. All of their work and they finally could face off against the best female tennis team there was.

"Alright, game on!"

Marinette returned a confident grin back at Adrien, her hands on her waist. Chloe had blown Nathaniel a kiss, distracting the redhead; Alya leaped into the air in excitement, letting out a joyous cheer of excitement as she did so. All of their work had finally paid off and they were receiving the same amount of positive attention as the best male tennis team there was.

"Let's finish them, girls!"


End file.
